The Vienna International Pianists were founded in 1988 by the Spanish pianist José Francisco
Alonso, in order to create a community of renowned concert artists
and young student musicians. Alonso’s successor as head of
the organization was the Venezuelan native pianist Rosario Marciano;
since her early death in 1998 the association has been led by the
pianist Stephan Möller and the composer Jorge Sánchez-Chiong.